The federal government has announced its plan to crack down on violent and repeat offenders.

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the federal government will introduce new bail reform legislation in the House of Commons next week.

Carney says the changes to the Criminal Code will target people accused of serious crimes including violent auto theft, extortion involving violence and violent threats, human trafficking, sexual and violent assaults, and break-ins.

Carney says under the new reverse-onus bail provisions it will no longer be up to the Crown to prove why someone should not be released on bail; it will be up to the accused to prove to the court why they should be released.

“Right now, in most bail hearings, the starting point is to release, and the Crown must prove why someone should not be released on bail, making it too easy for repeat, violent offenders to quickly get back on the street, sometimes back into the same communities that they just committed crimes in,” said Carney.

“Our new law will flip that script by creating new, reverse onus bail provisions for violent and organized, crime-related offences.”

Sentences for repeat offenders will also be changed.

Carney says the government will also toughen sentences for repeat offenders of auto theft, organized crime and home invasion “so that the criminals who have repeatedly victimized your community do not have the chance to do so again.”

The PM said the federal government is also committed to hiring another 1,000 RCMP officers across the country, including 150 specifically to address financial crime and scammers.